Barack Obama Was Against Health Insurance Mandates Before He Was For Them

When Senator Clinton says a mandate, it’s not a mandate on government to provide health insurance. It’s a mandate on individuals to purchase it. Massachusetts has a mandate right now. They have exempted 20% of the uninsured because they’ve concluded that that 20% can’t afford it. In some cases, there are people who are paying fines and still can’t afford it so now they’re worse off than they were. They don’t have health insurance and they’re paying a fine. In order for you to force people to get health insurance, you’ve got to have a very harsh, stiff penalty.”